This Land Is Your Land
Little Red School House Chorus Pete Seeger Sweet Honey in the Rock Doc Watson Lyrics

This land is your land,
This land belongs to you, the listener,

This land is my land,
This land also belongs to me, the singer,

From California to the New York Island,
This land extends from the west coast to the east coast of the United States,

From the Redwood Forest to the Gulf Stream waters,
This land includes diverse terrain, from the massive redwood trees in the west to the warm waters of the Gulf of Mexico in the south,

This land was made for you and me.
This land was meant to be shared by all of us, regardless of any differences or boundaries that may exist,

As I went walking that ribbon of highway
The singer was taking a leisurely walk on a long, winding road,

I saw above me that endless skyway,
The sky was vast and seemingly never-ending,

I saw below me that golden valley,
The singer looked down and saw a beautiful valley filled with golden sunshine,

This land was made for you and me.
The singer reiterated that this land was meant for all to enjoy,

I roamed and I rambled, and I followed my footsteps
The singer walked aimlessly, following their own path,

To the sparking sands of her diamond deserts,
The singer visited dry, desert-like areas with sparkling sand and diamonds,

All around me a voice was sounding,
The singer noticed a voice that appeared to be coming from all around,

This land was made for you and me.
Again, the singer highlighted that this land was meant to be shared and enjoyed by all,

When the sun came shining, then I was strolling,
The singer took a walk when the sun came out and the weather was pleasant,

And the wheat fields waving, and the dust clouds rolling,
The singer encountered wheat fields with tall stalks swaying in the wind and dust clouds being blown through the air,

A voice was chanting as the fog was lifting,
The singer heard a voice that seemed to be singing or chanting as the fog began to dissipate,

This land was made for you and me.
The singer once again emphasized that this land was intended for all to enjoy,

One bright sunny morning, in the shadow of the steeple,
The singer observed a church steeple casting a shadow on a bright and sunny morning,

By the relief office I saw my people,
The singer saw fellow citizens who were struggling and in need of relief assistance,

As they stood there hungry, I stood there wondering if,
The singer contemplated whether this land truly belonged to everyone, as hunger and poverty were still prevalent,

This land was made for you and me.
Yet again, the singer asserted that this land was meant for all to enjoy and benefit from,

Was a big high wall there that tried to stop me,
The singer faced a large, imposing wall that was attempting to prevent them from moving forward,

Was a great big sign that said, "Private Property,"
The wall was accompanied by a sign warning that the area was private property and should not be trespassed on,

But on the other side, it didn't say nothing,
However, once the singer crossed over to the other side of the wall, there were no warnings or restrictions present,

That side was made for you and me.
This side of the wall, like the rest of the land, was made for everyone to enjoy,

Nobody living can ever stop me,
No one currently alive can hinder the singer's enjoyment and use of this land,

As I go walking my freedom highway,
The singer continues to walk freely along the path of their choosing,

Nobody living can make me turn back,
No one can force or persuade the singer to turn back or stop their progress,

This land was made for you and me.
The refrain is repeated once more, underscoring the message that this land is meant for everyone,

Maybe you've been working as hard as you're able,
The singer addresses a listener who may have been working tirelessly,

But you've just got crumbs from the rich man's table,
However, despite their hard work, the listener has only received a small portion of what the wealthy have,

And maybe you're thinking, was it truth or fable,
The listener may be questioning whether or not they will ever receive their fair share,

That this land was made for you and me.
Despite doubts or concerns, the singer reassures the listener that this land is indeed meant for all to enjoy,

Woodland and grassland and river shoreline,
The singer lists off various types of environments present in this land, including forests, grassy areas, and riversides,

To everything living, even little microbes,
All living beings, including tiny microbes, exist and thrive in this land,

Fin, fur, and feather, we're all here together,
Fish, mammals, and birds alike all coexist in this land,

This land was made for you and me.
The song ends as it began, emphasizing that this land was intended for everyone to enjoy despite any differences that may exist,

This land is your land, but it once was my land,
The Little Red School House Chorus introduces a new verse acknowledging that while the land belongs to everyone now, it was originally inhabited by Native Americans,

Until we sold you Manhattan Island.
The singer is referring to the sale of Manhattan Island by Native Americans to the Dutch, and later to the English,

You pushed our Nations to the reservations,
The Little Red School House Chorus calls attention to the forced relocation of Native Americans and the establishment of reservations,

This land was stole by you from me.
The verse ends on a somber note, reflecting on the injustices and harm inflicted upon Native Americans by settlers and the government,